Refill unit for ball-point pens



Sept. 15, 1953 s. G. LlPlC REFILL UNIT FOR BALL-POINT PENS Filed Oct. 12, 1950 m T Z N m I w 7 n y w r 0 SYLVESTER G. LIPIC BY Patented Sept. 15, .1953

OFFICE REFILL UNIT FOR BALL-POINT PENS Sylvester G. Lipic, Sappington, Mo., assignor to Ritepomt 00., St. Louis, M0., a corporation of Missouri Application October 12, 1950, Serial No. 189,725

12 Claims. 1

the feed of the ink stops before the bag is empty 1 and full use of the ink which is originally contained is prevented.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide means for maintaining the ink bag extended so that all of the ink may flow out freely during the use of the pen.

In accordance withthis invention, generally stated, the flexible ink bag, which may be made of flexible plastic material, is maintained in extended position by a strut or extension element mounted therein. This may be a simple piece of wire formed to appropriate shape.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of an ink refill unit equipped with extension means embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, illustrating another embodiment of this invention.

As illustrated in the drawing, the unit comprises a ball point head I having a bore 2 adapted to receive a tip 3 in which the ball point 4 of the pen is mounted. The tip 3 has a bore 5, the lower portion of which is tapered and terminates in a reduced portion Ii of square cross section. The lower end of the portion 6 is chamfered to provide a seat for the ball 4. The terminal edge of the tip 3 is spun over the ball 4 a little below its center at I to retain the ball in place.

The bore 2 has a narrow portion 8 extending clear through to its rear and communicating with the bore 5 so that ink may be fed therethrough to the point. An ink bag 9, which is usually flexible and may be made of plastic or other suitable material, is attached to the head I by means of suitable tying means, such as a cord I0, wraped around the bag 9 and securing it in a groove in the rear portion of the head I, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to keep the bag 9 distended, a strut II is mounted therein. In the form illustrated this is simply a length of Wire having a curl I2 at its upper end so as to form a rounded end adapted to engage the closed end of the bag 9. The lower end of the wire II is formed into an offset bend I3 providing a shoulder. At this end the wire is extended beyond the offset portion so as to form a pin member I4. In mounting the strut I I in place the pin I3 is inserted in the rear end of the bore 8 so as to prevent the strut from slipping out of place while the shoulder I3 rests on the rear end of the head I. The bag 9 is then assembled over the strut and secured by the tying means III. Finally, a metallic outer tube I5 is assembled over the bag 9 and secured to the head I by crimping the walls thereof into recesses as indicated at I6. During this crimping operation the lower portion of the tube surrounding the head I is compressed against said head, thereby forming on the outside thereof a series of longitudinally extending ridges II. These provide friction elements for mounting the cartridge in the pen.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4., the strut II is formed at its lower end into a curl I3 providing the shoulder to rest on the head I and the end of the wire is extended beyond the curl to form the pin I4.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Parts of the invention may be used without the whole and improvements may be added while retaining some or all of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to such tip, a flexible ink bag secured to the rear of said head, a thin extension element having a a pair of enlarged opposed ends mounted within said bag and having one of its ends in engagement with said head, and said element having the other of its ends abutting against the rear end of said bag to keep the latter extended lengthwise but permit it to collapse crosswise.

2. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to such a tip, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end being secured to the rear of said head, and a thin elongated strut having rounded ends mounted within said has to keep the same extended lengthwise but permit it to collapse crosswise, said strut extending between said closed end and the rear of said head with said rounded ends engaging thereagainst.

3. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to such tip, a flexible ink bag secured to the rear of saidhead, and a thin elongated strut having rounded ends and a pin at one end thereof engaging within said bore to restrict lateral shif ing of that end relative to said bore, the rounded end at the other end of said strut engaging the rear end of said bag, said strut being mounted within said bag to keep the same extended lengthwise but permit it to collapse crosswise.

4. In a refill unit for a writing instrument having a flexible ink bag, an extension element for said bag comprising, an elongated wire strut curled at each end thereof to round the end, the curl at one end being extended to form a .locating pin.

5. In a refill unit .for a writing instrument, a

head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said tip, a flexible inkbag secured to said head, and an elongated wire strut positioned within said bag and having one end rounded in engagement with-the end of said bagand an oils-ct bend adjacent its other end forming a shoulder engaging said head tokeep said bag extended.

6. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said tip, a flexible ink bag secured to said head, and an elongated wire strut having one end rounded and engaging the closed end of said bag, .Imeans on the other end engaging and extending transversely of said head to keep the bag extended lengthwise of said strut but permit it to collapse crosswise, said other end having a point engaging within said bore.

7. In a refill 'unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said tip, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end of said bag being secured to the rear of said head, and a thin elongated strut having a laterally offset portion adjacent each end thereof, said strut being positioned within said bag with one of said oflset portions engaging against said closed end of saidbag, and the other of said ofiset portions abutting-against said rear end of said head, whereby said bag is maintained in its longitudinally extended position while permitting collapse thereof in a transverse direction.

8. In a refill unit for a writinginstrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said tip, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end of said bag being secured to the rear end of said head, and a thin elongated strut having a laterally ofiset portion adjacent each end thereof, said strut being positioned within said bag with one of said ofiset portions engaging against said closed end of said bag, the other of said oflset portions abutting against said rear end of said head, whereby said bag is maintained in its longitudinally extended position while permitting collapse thereof in a transverse direction, and said other ofiset portion having a projection thereon extending into said bore to prevent lateral shifting of said strut.

9. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a

head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said writing implement, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end being secured to said head, and an elongated wire strut within the ink bag and spaced from the side wall of the ink bag and having one end rounded and in engagement with the closed end of said bag, means on the other end of said strut engaging and extending transversely of said head to keep the bag extended lengthwise of said strut but to permit it to collapse crosswise.

10. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a headadapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said writing implement, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end being secured to said head, and an elongated wire strut centrally disposed in the ink bag and spaced from the side wall of the ink bag and having one end rounded and in engagement with the closed end of said bag, means on the other :end of said strut engaging and extending transversely of said head to keep the bag extendedlengthwise of said strut but to permit it to collapse crosswise.

11. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said writing implement, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end being secured to said head, and an elongated wire strut disposed in the ink bag and inclined to the axis of and spaced from the side wall of said ink bag, said strut having one end rounded and engaging the closed end of said bag, means on the other end of said strut engaging and extending transversely of said head to keep the bag extended lengthwise of said strut but to permit it to collapse crosswise.

12. In a refill unit for a writing instrument, a head adapted to receive a writing implement and having a bore through which ink may be fed to said writing implement, a flexible ink bag having opposed open and closed ends, said open end being secured to said head, an elongated wire strut disposed within the ink bag and having one end rounded and engaging the closed end of said bag, means on the other end of said strut engaging and extending transversely of said head to keep the bag extended lengthwise of the strut but to permit it to collapse crosswise, said strut being positioned within said bag in spaced relationship to the inner wall thereof, and an elongated tubular casing secured on said head and surrounding said flexible ink bag, said casing surrounding said flexible bag and spaced therefrom to form a substantially annular air chamber therebetween, said tube having an opening therethrough into said air chamber.

SYLVESTER G. LIPIC.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,040,519 Davis Oct. 8, 1912 1,135,156 Carr Apr. 13, 1915 1,787,896 Chamberlin Jan. 6, 1931 2,492,058 OConnor Dec. 20, 1949 2,502,866 Lust Apr. 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 87,480 Germany July 11, 1896 602,088 Great Britain May 19, 1948 

